On my new E350, I have noticed an odd behavior while locking the car. If a door is not properly shut and you try to lock the car using the remote, there is no indication whatsoever that the door is not shut.

Most other cars I have driven would either beep at you or flash lights to indicate such a problem. I am wondering if this is a design flaw in E350 or is there some system setting that I need to change.

I reckon that your car is behaving as MB expect. The thinking is that - if all the doors & the trunk are closed and you lock with the remote, you get 3 flashes to confirm that the ATA (anti-theft alarm) is primed.

If one door is open and you use the remote to lock, all the doors locks will operate, but the lights do not flash, showing that the ATA is not primed. If you then close that door it will be locked, but the ATA still will not be primed until the remote is used.

If all doors are properly closed, the lights will flash 3 times, telling you the doors are closed and locked. If you don't see the lights flash, that is your indication that a door isn't closed all the way.

I guess with present technology it wouldn't be too hard to arrange the car to call your Blackberry with lock confirmation?

You haven't heard of the iPhone app called 'iLock'? This app allows you to install power door closers on all of your doors and remotely close and then lock your doors from anything in the world. The eliminates the 'inconvenience' of having to manually close your doors.